To Every Purpose
by LoveJack
Summary: My first attempt at a Stargate story. Why did Sam break it off with Pete? I may add more chapters, but each one will stand alone. S. Carter, J. O'Neill
1. Chapter 1

**First attempt at a story on the site. Hope you won't be too disappointed.**

TO EVERY PURPOSE

A Time to be Born

Pregnant! She's going to have a baby! Sam Carter stares in shock at the test kit she purchased at the drugstore on the way home.

 _Damn! What is she going to do now? This isn't part of the plan! Pete will insist on getting married right away..._

She doesn't want to marry Pete!

The realization hits her out of the blue. She doesn't want to marry Pete! She doesn't want to have his baby! Crap! What's she going to do now?

XXXX

She answers the door, knowing it's him. Pete is standing there grinning. "Hi, Babe!"

God! She hates it when he called her that! And she's told him over and over again...

"I am not Babe," she snaps. "Babe is a pig in a movie! My name is Samantha! If you can't use my name, then don't talk to me at all!"

He stares at her as if she has two heads. "What's the matter, B... Sam?"

"I don't like being called Babe! When are you going to understand that?!"

"It's just a nickname," he whines. "A... uh...pet name, I guess."

"Well, I don't like it! And I sure as hell am nobody's _pet!_ Call me Sam or Samantha!"

He raises his hands in surrender. "Okay. Okay. I'll try. Honestly, I will try." He pauses and moved toward her. "Can we go for a ride? I've got a surprise for you."

She frowns. She hates surprises.

He makes her close her eyes until they reach their destination...

 _A house ?! Crap! He's bought a house!_

He is so excited he's practically vibrating. "There's a big kitchen," he says, leading her into the house. "And it's painted yellow! And four bedrooms..." He grabs her hand and pulls her around the rooms, showing them off—she hears his running commentary, but it makes no sense. Dog... Fenced-in backyard... Four kids... She closes her eyes in horror.

"I have a job, Pete! I'm not quitting my job!" she points out. "I'm not around half the time!"

"Yes... well, this is more important," he breezes over her objections as if they were only puffs of wind. "You'll have to stay home with the kids..."

XXXX

"I can't marry him!" she screams to her empty house, after he brings her home.

 _You're pregnant, remember!_ the silence reminds her.

"Doesn't mean I have to marry him!" she argues. She stares at the ring on her finger. Finally takes it off and puts it back in the little box. She considers how to let him know the engagement is off... Call him on the phone? Mail the ring back?

XXXX

Five days later she receives proof that the test was wrong! False positive! Not pregnant! Thank you, God! She's practically dancing with joy.

Several people comment on the fact that she looked extremely happy—she is skipping around the corridors of the SGC!

"What's going on, Sam?" Daniel asks from her doorway as she grins like a fool.

She just grins harder.

There is a package on her lab table and Daniel sees it is addressed to Pete. Maybe it's his birthday or something, Daniel thinks.

XXXX

 _Yes, there is a time to be born... but thank goodness, that time is not now!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Many thanks to those of you who read my first chapter, and especially to all who took the time to review.**

 **The first part of this chapter occurs before the previous one (A time to be born), and it ends sometime after that one ends.**

 **00000**

TO EVERY PURPOSE

A Time of Hope, a Time of Despair

The sight of the ring killed every hope he'd been clinging to. The fact that it was still in the box, not on her finger, was just a detail. Why would she be holding on to it if she didn't plan to accept?

It was all Jack could do to manage a meaningless comment and get out of her lab as fast as possible! On the way home he stopped at the liquor store to buy a bottle of Jameson.

Later, slouched on his couch, watching a muted hockey game with his third drink in his hand, he thought of how pathetic this entire scenario made him feel, but he didn't really care.

XXXXX

Time passes—a week or more—during which he doesn't run into Carter very often. A glimpse in the corridors... A quick mission briefing… Passing by each other as he enters or leaves the cafeteria...

When he does see her, he notices that she seems quite happy.

The team is off the mission roster for the last few days, so he assumes she's spending the days working in her lab.

He avoids thinking of how she's spending the nights.

Actually, he tries very hard to avoid thinking of her at all!

XXXXX

When Daniel arrives at his house one evening, and berates him for not talking to Sam about his feelings, Jack responds angrily.

Teeth gritted, he glares at his friend. "Daniel! Even if I had something to tell, I couldn't tell her!"

"She's going to marry him if you don't speak up, Jack," the other man persists. "She took the ring."

"Yes. And that's _her_ decision! She made it!"

"Only because she thinks you don't care anymore!"

The brown eyes narrow dangerously. "That's a piss poor reason to agree to marry somebody, don't you think! And Carter is way smarter than that! No, Daniel!" He puts up a hand, stopping the words about to come from Daniel's mouth. "She wouldn't make that kind of decision unless she loved the guy. Have you even noticed how happy she's looked the last week or so? Obviously he's everything she wants!"

"She's coping," Daniel argues. "Making the best of it. She doesn't know how you feel and she's desperate."

"Carter? Desperate? Geez, Daniel! Have you looked at her lately? Have you talked to her? Do you even know her?" He paces across the room, again overriding Daniel's protests. "She's the last woman in the world who'd ever be desperate to find a man! She's the smartest, most incredible, most beautiful woman! That smile is to die for..." He shuts up abruptly, face reddening. "Oh, shit..." he mutters as he turns away and heads for the kitchen. "You want a beer?" he calls in a resigned voice.

"Sure. Why not?" Daniel sighs, shaking his head. He sits down on the couch, on the edge, leaning elbows on knees, chin on his hands. From the kitchen he can hear the fridge open, the clink of glass. Footsteps approach, and a Guinness bottle appears before his eyes. "Thanks," he says, taking it.

Jack drops into the recliner across from the couch, and stares at his friend. "I guess I sorta blew my cover there, didn't I?" He takes a long swig of his own beer.

"Ya think." Daniel sips from his bottle. "It's okay, Jack. Not like I didn't know already."

"Hmph."

"And, I admit, she does look happy lately," Daniel concedes.

Another grunt.

Several quiet moments pass. Daniel sips a bit more. Jack drains his bottle, then sits there picking at the label.

"What are you going to do?" Daniel asks at last.

Jack looks up, surprised. "What do you mean-do? There's absolutely nothing I _can_ do."

"Jack!"

"Regulations, Daniel! There's nothing I can do or say that doesn't break the regs."

"So you're just going to sit back and watch her marry another man?"

Shaking he head, O'Neill doesn't even bother to answer.

XXXX

His mood darkens in the next few days, and spills over into the rest of his interactions. He spends most of his time at the base. He's taken to avoiding Kerry, and is not at all surprised when she ends their relationship.

XXXX


End file.
